


Lost In The Echo

by Ungnyeo



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Asexual Pidge | Katie Holt, Depression, Fluff and Angst, Human/Dog Hybrids, Hybrid Lance, Hybrids, Insecurity, Keith (Voltron) Needs a Hug, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, M/M, Minor Hunk/Shay (Voltron), Minor Matt Holt/Shiro, Not in Space, Orphan Keith (Voltron), Polyamorous side characters, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Shiro (Voltron) is Missing, Socially Awkward Keith (Voltron), dog hybrid lance, emotional support hybrid
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-01-15 09:13:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18495877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ungnyeo/pseuds/Ungnyeo
Summary: After his brother went MIA, Keith’s life began to fall apart. He dropped out of high school and got a job, barely doing enough for himself to survive. He’s reached the point where even he is worried about how far he’s fallen into the depths of his depression. After learning about emotional support hybrids, he takes a chance and adopts a Lab hybrid named Lance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was requested by one of my followers on tumblr. I hope everyone likes it, because I love Voltron and I've been wanting to write for it for a long time. I'm not sure how many chapters this is going to have yet, but we'll be meeting Lance in the next one. Right now we just needed to see how Keith was doing. 
> 
> As someone who battles depression herself, I feel like this is pretty accurate based on my experiences. When I'm really in my funk, even something as simple as the dishes feels like a huge task. And it's not like I don't want them clean, because I do, but it's just this thing.

The apartment door banged loudly as Keith kicked it closed, not even bothering to lock it since he had nothing for anyone to steal anyway. He tossed his bike helmet onto the couch and slumped into the opposite seat with a relieved sigh. 

Today had been yet another long and tedious day filled with  _nothingness_. He’d even volunteered to work longer at the machine shop and had put in a whole twelve hours just to have something to fill his time. And now he was back in his crappy apartment that was just as empty as he was, save for the overloaded trash can filled with takeout boxes and a sink full of dishes he was never motivated enough to wash. The mess annoyed the hell out of him, sure, but the effort it would take to gather up the remnants of energy he had left to clean seemed impossible. Takashi would kick his ass if he saw this place…

Instead, he stretched out fully on the couch and put some documentary on that he barely paid attention to in order to fill the silence and ordered some dinner off of his favorite app. He figured at some point he should take a shower and get the smell of the shop off of him, but that seemed like too much work at the moment. He lounged on the couch for the full thirty minutes he had to wait for his food, moving only to kick off his shoes. 

When the doorbell rang he sighed wearily, wincing as his bones cracked as he stood. He slowly hobbled to the doorway and cracked it open, intending to simply reach his hand out for the bag and scurry back inside like the antisocial raccoon he was. 

“Special delivery for Gerard Way if he had a mullet and shrunk three inches?” 

Keith scrunched his nose as he realized the amused voice was familiar and poked his head out, widening his eyes as he took in the grinning delivery person. 

“Hunk?”

“Hey man! Long time no see, huh? I saw your name on the order form and couldn’t resist making the delivery myself. You were our last order of the night anyway.” 

Keith pulled the door open all the way and peered up at him. 

“Jesus, did you get even taller? And are those real muscles? Dude.” 

Hunk holds up the bags that looked like they had a lot more than what he actually ordered, flexing shamelessly. 

“I know, right? The last time you saw me was in high school when I was still ninety percent taco, but I’ve been working out for actual fun these days. And you! I took a chance you’d still have the mullet when I made that joke, glad it worked out.” 

Keith rolled his eyes as he ruffled said hair nervously. 

“It just grows that way, you know that.” 

“So you’ve always said.  _Man_ , I missed you. A lot of us tried to find you these past few of years, but you seemed to just vanish and don’t even use social media. How are things? Hold up, let me get your food setup here.” 

Hunk just walked right past Keith into his apartment and placed the bags on the coffee table. He muttered to himself as he set out multiple fantastic smelling containers, and Keith took a moment to glance around for anything too shameful while Hunk was distracted. 

He was embarrassed by the stark emptiness of the place, as he only bought the bare essentials, but he knew Hunk was too nice to actually say anything about it. Mostly it was just the trash-filled kitchen and the fact that it was obvious he usually just slept on the couch that had him worried. 

“So you work at Sal’s, huh?” 

“Co-own it actually, along with being the head chef. Except on the weekends when I volunteer at Hybrid Haven with Katie.”

Keith was impressed but wasn’t all that surprised. He’d known Hunk would do well for himself even back in high school. He was just a nice guy all the way to his core and got along with everyone, unlike Keith who liked five living beings and two of them were dogs. 

“So Pidgeotto is still around too, huh?” 

“I forgot about that one,” Hunk snorts and sets the plastic bags off to the side. “Yeah, most of us are still around. Katie and Allura run Hybrid Haven together and Matt left the Army after…that…and is some software genius and built his own company. He tried to explain what it was for, but it went over even  _my_ head. And I studied to be an engineer!” 

Keith huffed a laugh and let Hunk pull him onto the couch, accepting the utensils he was handed. 

“What is all this, anyway? I just ordered a meatball sandwich.” 

“I know, but  _dude_ , this is my first chance to have you try my professional skills! I’m not going to pass that up. I’ve improved so much in the three years since you last tried something of mine. So I made you a sampler platter of our Italian favorites. Spaghetti alla carbonara, Manicotti, Risotto, Fritto misto, and of course a nice big order of meatballs since that’s what you actually asked for. Oh, and there’s breadsticks. And tiramisu for dessert.” 

“God, everything smells amazing,” Keith moaned as he opened the first container. 

“Good. Eat up, you look like you’re skin and bones.” 

Keith huffed a laugh, then practically shoved what he guessed was the carbonara into his mouth. It was so rich and the noodles perfectly al dente, even with them being delivered. It had been a long time since Keith had actually appreciated food, usually just eating what he felt he could tolerate at the moment so he’d stay alive. But a combination of wanting to please Hunk who was watching his every bite and the knowledge that Hunk’s food was always amazing led to genuine enjoyment of the meal. He eyed the number of containers and wondered if Hunk would expect him to eat it all now or if he’d be able to stretch them out for a few days. 

“You know, now that I’m looking at you, you seem like you’re sick. Is that why you ordered takeout? I should have brought my soup too,” Hunk frowns and lays a massive hand on Keith’s forehead, trying to gauge his temperature. 

“I’m not sick. Just tired. Long day, you know?” 

Hunk didn’t look convinced, his gaze sharpening as he looked Keith up and down deliberately then moved to give his actual apartment the same treatment. Keith felt like an ant under a microscope, knowing that Hunk’s often overlooked brain was seeing  _everything_. 

Hunk sighed and pat Keith on the head like a damn dog as he stood up and headed towards the kitchen. 

“Don’t move a muscle, no matter what. I want you to stay there and eat. I’m beginning to suspect that’s the first decent meal you’ve had in three years.” 

Keith’s shame was almost overwhelming because Hunk was grabbing a garbage bag and collecting the overflowing trash that Keith had merely watched grow into a massive pile. He tried to protest, but a sharp look from Hunk told him it was pointless and he’d continued shoveling food down his throat instead. 

He was midway through the huge foil tin of Manicotti and listening to Hunk hum to himself as he washed Keith’s dishes when the exhaustion finally caught up to him. His belly was full of delicious food and he was comfortable, laying his head back against the couch and promising he was just going to close his eyes for a second because it hurt to keep them open…

The sun was just beginning to filter through his blinds when he woke up. His apartment was silent except for the gentle hum of the dryer, meaning Hunk had even tackled Keith’s toxic pile of dirty laundry and apparently had been here all night doing so. He was ashamed that his old friend had seen what a mess he was these days, but he was touched and humbled that he’d gone out of his way like this. 

Keith stretched and cracked his neck before standing, realizing his body was more rested than it had been in a while. He didn’t know if it was the food or just having another presence in the place that had helped. 

He yawned and padded towards the kitchen, hoping that Hunk had stashed the leftovers in there. He swung the door open and grinned when he spotted the containers, pulling out the meatballs to make a cold sandwich. He could only imagine the shock on Hunk’s face when he’d opened the fridge and found only water and ketchup. 

Keith split open a couple of rolls that Hunk had included with his order and filled them full to bursting with meatballs, suddenly ravenous. He even put them on a plate now that he had some clean dishes. He took a huge bite and chewed happily on his way back to the couch, setting his plate down and searching for the remote and clicking the TV on, pausing as he realized there was a note taped to the front of it. 

He jumped back up and pulled it off, reading as he slumped back into his seat. 

**_Keith,_ **

**_I have to head home before my girlfriend worries too much (her name is Shay! I can’t wait for you to meet her). I am so happy that you ordered from my place today. I know that you are probably all kinds of embarrassed right now, but I seriously missed you. I know it’s probably been hard since Shiro went missing. We all loved him, but you worshipped him. Your brother was one of the greatest people I’ve ever met and I know he’d feel horrible if he came back and saw how much you were hurting._ **

**_I’m sorry for upsetting you if you think I overstepped today, but I’m not sorry I did it. You needed some looking after and I was happy to do it. We’ve all been worried sick about you since you left. Matt says he has nightmares sometimes of Shiro coming back and he has to explain that he lost his little brother._ **

**_I know you like to think it sometimes, but you’re really not alone. If you’d let us back into your life, we’d love to be there. You were never just another high school friend to us, Keith. You are family. Family that we’ve missed terribly._ **

**_As your family, I’m just going to say it. I think you’ve been letting your depression win, bud. The Keith I know is a fighter and right now I think you’re facing your strongest opponent and letting it take over. Please let us help you and be there for you. There’s no shame in asking for help._ **

**_I also have another friend that I’d like you to meet. You know how I said we all work with Hybrid Haven? Allura started a program a few years ago training emotional support hybrids. We mainly adopt them out to military vets dealing with PTSD, but I think it would be a good match for you too. There is one, in particular, I have in mind for you. He’s kinda your polar opposite in a lot of ways, but I think it would be good for you._ **

**_Just head to the Haven if you decide to go through with it and Katie will probably be at the counter. Tell her you’re there for Lance. She’ll probably be so happy to see you she’ll waive the adoption fee…after she says a few choice words to you. You know how she is, don’t take it to heart. She just missed you and she’s kinda like you in that emotions make her angry._ **

**_If you still want to talk to me even after I’ve butted my big head into your business, I’ll write my number under this. If you don’t, that’s fine too. Although I’ll probably cry. Don’t make me cry, Keith._ **

**_-Hunk_ **

Keith snorted as he read the last line, then programmed the number into his phone. When he’d disappeared after Takashi went missing, he hadn’t been in a good place. He’d spent every waking moment trying to convince anyone that would listen that his brother was still alive and needing to be rescued. The Army has brushed him off, telling him they were sorry for his loss and that Takashi had been a good soldier, but there was nothing else to be done. 

Their parents had died when Keith was too young to remember them well and Takashi had raised him after that. He’d been Keith’s entire world and his hero. They’d moved around from base to base until Keith had hit high school and demanded to stay in one school for the entire time. He’d gotten his wish and had stayed there with the same group of friends until he was almost eighteen and a few months away from graduating. Until the soldiers had come to their home holding a flag and a generic letter of condolence. After that, high school had seemed meaningless and he had to find a job to support himself. He’d sold the home they’d been living in, unable to keep up the payments on his own. He’d then started his monotonous life of working at the machine shop and coming home to an empty apartment. 

He hadn’t really meant to ignore his friends from school, they just felt like they didn’t belong to him. They were friends with a different Keith that didn’t exist anymore, one that used to laugh and play. One that hadn’t felt like he was a waste of space just by existing. 

He looked at Hunk’s letter again, raising an eyebrow as he got to the part about the hybrid. He was familiar with the creatures, of course. The military had wolf hybrids and Keith remembered a few fondly from his years as an army brat. He remembered he’d even begged Takashi to adopt one years ago, but they hadn’t been as settled at the time so he’d said no. 

He glanced around his now clean apartment, taking in the clean kitchen and piles of folded clean laundry waiting in baskets. The place was still empty, but it was looking a little more homey after Hunk had his way with it. Keith sighed and let the idea churn in his head. 

He supposed it would be nice to come home to someone, even a hybrid. He’d have a reason to clean up after himself and keep the fridge stocked at the very least. And it would be nice to have Hunk and Pidge around again. 

But first, a shower.


	2. Chapter 2

It was nearly closing time when Keith finally stood outside of the hybrid shelter, fidgeting with his hood so it covered as much of his face as possible. It had been a long time since he’d left his apartment for the sole reason of interacting with other people. That alone makes him nervous enough, but he knew what was causing his feet to act like they were glued to the pavement was the particular person he had to interact with. 

Katie Holt was a spitfire on a good day and terrifying on the bad ones. She had once held the title of Keith’s best friend (rather loosely, he’d never said it but he’d never stopped her when she claimed it) and more than likely had felt betrayed when Keith just took off without a word. He knew when he managed to grow enough balls to walk inside he’d meet with the face he’d pictured a million times the past couple years - Eyes bright was anger and hurt, hissing at him like an angry kitten. He knew he deserved it. 

He squared his shoulders and willed his feet to move, wanting to get the inevitable over with. Once inside, he paused to take in the atmosphere with a bit of surprise. The decor was light and cheery, with hybrids and families openly meeting in a floor to ceiling windowed playroom. The hybrids themselves all looked happy and well cared for, playing games or watching TV. Keith had always figured a shelter would look more like…well, an animal shelter. With cages and crying animals, workers giving you the stinkeye and demanding a donation to even look at the animals. This place looked more like a high-class resort inside. 

Keith pulled the hood from his head and ruffled his hair a bit, suddenly feeling way too underdressed with the ancient hoodie that he’d stolen from Takashi years ago and his ripped jeans that were less a product of fashion and more him not caring enough to buy new ones. He awkwardly walked towards the unmanned front desk and just stood there waiting, no sign of a bell or any way to call for help. 

Just as he was contemplating making a run for it, he heard a familiar voice coming closer from a nearby closed door. He watched it open in slow motion, knowing he probably looked like a scared rabbit about to bolt. 

Their eyes met, and instead of the scorn and vicious anger he’d anticipated, they were soft and glistening with growing tears. 

“ _Keith_ …” she uttered with a faint almost reverent voice, rushing towards him and pulling him into a tight hug. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders to hold her close, offering a little half smile to the top of her head. 

“Hey, Katie Kat.”

They stood there for what seemed like hours, though it was mere moments. Keith couldn’t even remember the last time he’d hugged someone. Katie was probably the last one, honestly. 

“You’re not stabbing me. Aren’t you mad at me?” 

She didn’t move her face out of his chest, but he felt her grip on him tighten. 

“I was. For a while. Then…I was just sad. I missed you and I was so worried. I was upset that you didn’t trust me or want my help. And Matt kept asking about you, checking to see I’d heard from you yet, and it hurt always having to tell him no.” 

Keith felt guiltier than ever. “It wasn’t like that, Pidge. I was just so angry and - well, you know what happens when I get angry.” 

“You do stupid shit.” 

Keith chuckled and pulled her away from him so he could take a good look at her.  She still kept up with the short hair that suited her so well and the glasses he knew that she didn’t even need; she just liked the look of them. She’d grown a bit taller and her face was sharper. He couldn’t believe how much she’d changed in just a few years. She looked every bit a grown ass adult that had her shit together. He felt proud knowing that even if he was a dud, his friends were doing damn good. 

His musings were interrupted when her foot suddenly slammed into his shin, making him cry out and hop a couple times in pain. He glared at the smirking woman as he reached down to rub the ache. 

“What the hell, Pidge. That hurt.” 

“Good, now we’re even,” she sniffed, then turned and grabbed a clipboard from the front desk. 

“When Hunk told me he’d run into you, I thought I was shocked enough.  _Then_ he told me he thought he might have talked you into getting one of our support hybrids, and  _Lance_ at that. I felt like I’d entered the Twilight Zone.” 

Keith felt a twinge of unease when he realized both Hunk and Pidge talked about this hybrid like he would be crazy to get him, yet they still kept mentioning only his name. 

“Is he that bad of a match then?” 

“No, actually. At first glance he probably is. On the surface, the two of you are complete opposites. He’s loud where you’re quiet, he’s obnoxiously outgoing where you’re introverted. He’s an unapologetic flirt, you run to the bathroom when Stacy Cobb tries to ask you to prom,” she adds that last bit with a teasing grin as Keith groans. 

“You guys will never let that die, will you?” 

“ _Nope_ ,” Pidge smirks mischievously and pulls him with her towards the windowed playroom. 

They stand there for a moment in silence as Keith tries to guess which of the hybrids is Lance. There are probably at least forty people in the massive room, so he had no way of picking him out. 

Pidge sighs and reaches out to squeeze his hand comfortingly before continuing. 

“Like I said, at  _first glance_ you guys seem like an impossible match. But I have the advantage of knowing what you both have under your armor. You’re both loyal, intelligent, and passionate. Courageous.” 

Keith snorts at that one but she smacks him lightly with the back of her hand on his chest. 

“I’m  _serious_. It may not seem like it from your end, but you’ve always been the brave one. There’s a difference between being heartbroken and being a coward, Keith. Not to mention just coming here today for a support animal is incredibly brave of you. It means you recognize you have a problem and you’re going out of your way to solve it when you could just have easily ignored Hunk and kept to yourself.” 

She sighs dramatically. “Unfortunately, you and Lance are also both stubborn and competitive, so I anticipate some clashing heads no matter what,” she snorts, bumping Keith’s shoulder. 

“However, the trait that you both share that won me over is how you both go all in, and when you care about someone you give them everything. I think that’s what both of you need. You need someone who will make you a priority and not let you get away with your crap. He needs someone that wants him - that will accept and need him. He’s got a huge heart just waiting for the right person.” 

Keith swallows nervously. “I don’t know. This is starting to sound super serious.” 

Pidge glances up with a quirked brow. “It  _is_ super serious. You’re not just renting him until you feel better, Keith. You’d be taking him into your home and making him your family. He’s trained to focus on you and your needs,  _true_ , but he’s still a person with thoughts and feelings and needs of his own. He’s not there to replace Shiro - no one can. But it’s okay to live and love and have a family that cares about you even though he’s gone. He would want that for you.” 

He nods silently, because logically he knows she’s right. Doesn’t make it any easier. 

“Do you…do you think he’s still alive out there?” he asks softly, and the hand gripping his squeezes gently. 

“I think if anyone has a chance of surviving the impossible, it’s him.” 

“Yeah,” he sighs wistfully as they lapse into silence again, watching the activity in the room. 

“KEITH!” 

He finds himself suddenly wrenched away from Pidge and into the perfumed embrace of yet another of his old friends, Allura. She was as beautiful as ever, with her long flowing hair and sophisticated manner. Behind her stood a woman that looked ridiculously similar in style to Allura, except her long hair was blond. She was watching the two hug with a fond smile as she observed Allura happily gushing over Keith. 

“Oh, Keith. I missed you! We all did. I am so happy you’re here,” Allura exclaimed, pulling back to observe him. 

“You’re far too thin, however. I’m surprised Hunk let you get away from him looking like that.” 

“He didn’t. He stuffed me until I fell asleep.” 

The girls snicker, then Allura brings forward the blonde woman, looping her arm with hers. 

“Keith, this is our girlfriend Romelle.” 

Keith tried to hide his shock as best as he could, reaching out to shake the blushing woman’s hand. 

“It’s uh…nice to meet you.” 

He glanced over at Pidge when the coast was clear, mouthing ‘Our?’ She winks and holds a hand up, silently telling him she’d explain in a bit. 

“I’m going to demand an old fashioned dinner at Uncle Coran’s soon because we all need to catch up, but you’re probably anxious to meet Lance. I’ll go get him for you!” Allura smiled brightly and hugged him once more before dragging Romelle off with her towards the back. 

“So ‘Our’, huh?” Keith turned to a smirking Pidge with a raised eyebrow. 

She shrugged, trying to act like there wasn’t a smug cloud circling the air above her. 

“Yeah, you know. The whole not being into sex thing never went away, and the more serious things got with Allura and me, the more I worried about it. I mean, we’ve been together since high school so she’d never even gotten the chance to do anything but kiss because I actually enjoy that, but I knew she wasn’t like me. She kept saying she was fine with it and that she loved me no matter what. I believed her and we weren’t actively looking to add another, but then Romelle started working here.” Pidge shakes her head with a smile, sighing wistfully.

“She fit in with us so well that it took us a while to realize she was basically already a part of us, just without, you know, titles and stuff. So we asked her out and here we are. Allura gets to do all the gross bedroom aerobics she wants, I still get all the cuddles and kisses I want times two. At first, I thought she was only in it for Allura, which would have been fine with me too, but then we kinda fell in love too. It’s been a whole…thing.” 

Keith chuckles quietly, bumping fondly against her. 

“Leave it to you to end up with the hot harem.” 

She groans dramatically, sporting a shy smile. “Oh my god, shut up.” 

Loud chattering echos down the hallway and they both turn to watch as Allura and Romelle return to them. 

Keith inhales sharply as the person in the middle of the two women smiles at him. The smile alone is stunning, wide and beaming. But the whole package…Jesus. He was beautiful. Slender but lightly muscled bronze-toned skin that he wondered if it was as soft as it looked. Gorgeous eyes and an ass that wouldn’t quit. Golden brown hair - topped with floppy chocolate-colored ears. Because,  _oh yeah_ , he’s a hybrid. 

Keith cringed at in inner thoughts, trying to drag them out of the gutter. He wasn’t sure, of course, but he assumed hybrids stuck to their own kind and didn’t like humans in that way. Keith observed the happy sway of the other’s dark brown tail and thought it was more likely the poor thing would run away screaming if he’d just heard Keith’s thoughts about him. 

“Hi! I’m Lance!” the hybrid grins and sticks out his free hand; his other one holding a duffle bag so stuffed he wondered how he’d gotten the zipper closed. 

“Uh, hi. I’m Keith,” he mutters shyly, shaking Lance’s hand. Lance’s large warm hand that was oh so soft. 

_No! Stop it, Keith._

“So,” Pidge started as she ruffled through some papers, handing a couple to Keith. “The paperwork is already finished. I did it all as soon as I heard. The fee is waived, as I’m sure Hunk told you I’d do already. His official adoption certificate will be ready in a couple days because I like to get them notarized, but I won’t give it to you until after the probational period.” 

“Probation?” Keith repeated, crinkling his nose in confusion. 

“Yeah. Our support hybrids generally work with individuals with like, PTSD or other trauma. Sometimes it turns out that they need more than a hybrid can give or they just aren’t a good fit. So probation. A month to see if you think it’s a good fit. If at the end of the month it’s not working, no hard feelings. We’ll pair you up with someone else, or help you figure out something else that might help you. I have a really good feeling about the two of you though.” 

Keith hums as he looks over Lance’s information, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. Same age as him, has been in the shelter for about a year, high marks in all of his training classes. 

“What about you, Lance? Are you okay coming home with me? They told you about me, right? And I’m way more messed up than they even know.” Keith asks, finally meeting the hybrid’s warm gaze straight on. Pidge clicks her tongue with disapproval as he basically talks himself down. 

“Oh yeah. I’ve totally trained for this, man. Plus, you smell great. And you’re pretty, even if you have a mullet.” 

Keith blushes and sighs as Pidge falls into unrestrained laughter. 

“It just grows that way,” she giggled, using air quotations to mock him. 

“Anyway…is that all of your things?” he asks the hybrid, gesturing towards the duffle bag. 

Lance nods and wiggles it a bit. “Didn’t want to collect too much and have to move everything whenever I got my assignment.” 

“We’re including vouchers for buying Lance more clothing and supplies since he’s a support hybrid, so you don’t have to worry about that,” Pidge adds. 

“Okay. Uh, should we go home now? It’s getting late and you guys are closing soon, right?” 

“Yup. You two are free to go. Just keep your phone handy, because we’ll be calling and texting you like crazy now that we have you back in our grasp, asshole,” Pidge grumbled even as she squeezed Keith into a quick hug. “Also, we’ll be staying away from the apartment for only one week. Take the time to get to know Lance and get settled, then we’ll be on you like fleas. And expect a phone call from Coran demanding your attendance to Sunday dinners.” 

“Thanks, Katie Kat. For everything,” he said softly, trying to convey everything he felt into those few words. Her eyes softened as she nodded, automatically knowing what he was trying to get across like no time had passed. Damn, he really had missed his friends. 

“Bye, Lance. Take care of Keith, okay. And don’t let him get away with being a brat,” she turned to hug the hybrid who happily accepted her embrace before turning to the other two women, hugging them as well. 

“See ya, Princess,” he added towards Allura, shooting her finger guns that she rolled her eyes at, though she was grinning. 

“Have a good time, Lance. Be sure to call if you or Keith need our assistance. Keith, it was so very good to see you again. I look forward to Sunday dinner,” Allura winked and walked them towards the front door and watched them walk to the car, waving until it was out of sight. 

❦

Keith ushered the hybrid into the apartment, extremely relieved that Hunk had helped him the previous night with cleaning. It was still an unimpressive place, but at least it didn’t look like a hoarder’s home anymore. 

The hybrid set his bag on the floor and glanced around, his nose wiggling as he scented the place. Keith hoped it didn’t smell like the trash that had built up still. 

“So, uh, it’s just me here and I’ve basically been using the couch. I can keep doing that because I only have one room. You’re free to take it.” 

Lance looks at him sharply, assessing him in a way that nearly made him feel uncomfortable. Like he was just an open book to the hybrid. 

Finally, Lance shakes his head. “Nope. We start out how we mean to go on. Part of healing is routine, as boring as that sounds. Same bed, same time. No couches or mats on the floor. Bed, 10:00pm bedtime.” 

“Bedtime? I have a bedtime?” Keith scoffs. 

“Uh huh. Ten to six is your sleeping schedule. Learn it, live it, love it.”

Keith almost wanted to laugh, like really laugh, at the ridiculous hybrid. 

“Yeah, okay.” 

Lance perked up and directed Keith towards the bathroom. 

“Great! I’m so happy you agree because it’s bedtime right now. Let’s brush our teeth and hit the sack.” 

Keith huffed but let Lance direct him through preparing for bed, deciding it was easier to do so. Besides, he’d already used up more energy today than he had in…he didn’t know. Years maybe. He was actually pretty freaking tired. 

Eventually, he found himself laying on his back in his little used bed, the warmth of the hybrid snuggled in next to him seeping into his bones. It was crazy how comfortable Lance seemed to be with him already, but instead of questioning it, he simply closed his eyes and followed him into sleep. 


End file.
